The bus stopped in front of the company where I work called Qtech. I immediately got off the bus. Then I rushed to the Qtech building with about fifty floors. If I don’t punch before 10 o’clock, I will lose half of today’s salary. When I remembered that, I felt like running. But I didn’t because there were people around. I suddenly came before the front door of the company. Then I opened the door and went inside. Calls are coming continuously in the reception. My friend Bella was busy answering calls. I gave her a hi. She also said hi to me. After that, I went straight to the attendance punching machine. After punching, I walked to the elevator. As I approached the elevator, the elevator doors closed. I hurried towards the elevator. As I got closer, the doors opened again. I got into the elevator. Some people smiled at me and I smiled back. The elevator doors closed. Then the elevator went up with us. Someone called me from behind.

“Ruby”

I looked back and saw our team leader, Samuel Hudson. He was standing among the people. A smile came to me from his stern face.

“Good morning”.

Samuel wished me.

“Good morning,” I wished Samuel back.

After that, Samuel said nothing. I withdrew my eyes from his side. Samuel is a chapter in my life that I would like to forget.

I have been working in this company for almost a year. I came to work in this company called Qtech with many dreams. Samuel was one of the first people who I was friends with. Samuel was a very honorable person. He helped me a lot at the beginning of my work. He had a lot of love and care for me. I saw him as an elder brother. One day, when our relationship was going well, Samuel invited me to dinner at a restaurant. I accepted the invitation with no hesitation.

I went to the restaurant after accepting Samuel’s invitation. It was a big 5-star restaurant. I entered the restaurant. This is the first time I have come to such an expensive restaurant. I loved the restaurant at first sight. All the tables had candles lit in the center. Most were tables that could only seat two people. Most of them were occupied.  I saw Samuel sitting alone at a table. A smile spread across his face when he saw me. I walked toward him. He got up from his chair when he saw me approaching. As I approached, he moved the chair across the table from where he was sitting. I sit in the chair.

“Thanks”. I told Samuel.

“You’re welcome,” Samuel said.

After that, he went back to his chair.

“Ruby, you look so beautiful in this dress,” Samuel said, looking at me.

“Thanks,” I said.

For a while, we were talking about work-related things. I felt Samuel was not interested in talking about office matters. So I stopped talking about office matters there. There was silence between us for a while. Now and then I would look at the candle lit in front of the table where we were sitting. Or look at the people around. Samuel ordered food for both of us to eat. He ordered the food I like.

“Is this the first time you have been to this restaurant?” Samuel breaks the silence.

“Yes, I have never come to such an expensive restaurant. Thank you, sir, for inviting me here”.

“Then who would I invite rather than you?”

I did not answer Samuel’s question. I felt it was a mistake to come here. Even I thought of leaving here before the food ordered arrived. Samuel slipped one of his hands into his coat. When he took that hand back, he had a small ring box in his hand.

“Oh God, what is he doing?” Samuel opened the ring box and hold the ring box straight to me.

“Will you marry me?” Samuel said to me.

I was completely frozen. I looked around. Some of them sitting at other tables are looking at us. They are eagerly waiting to see what my answer will be. I looked at Samuel. He is at least 10 years older than me. How he got the courage to propose to me. I could not control my anger. I throw the candle which is on the table. Then I left from there.

The elevator doors opened. I got out of the elevator. Then walked to my department. I was about to reach my desk when my friend Maria came to me.

“Isn’t you early today?”. Maria asked me.

My answer was a smile to her question. Samuel passed nearby.

“Good morning, sir,” Maria wished Samuel.

“Good morning,” Samuel wished Maria back.

Maria asked me when Samuel had left us.

“Is there a problem with you and Samuel, sir?”.

“There is no problem between us”.

I told no one that Samuel proposed to me and what happened after that.

“Didn’t he scold you for a small thing yesterday?” That’s why I asked. Maria said.

Maria was right. Yesterday he scolded me unnecessarily in front of others. He scolds me whenever he gets the chance. He hasn’t crossed the line yet. I will respond when he crosses the red line. Anyway, he is just a poor disappointed lover.

“Did you know our new CEO will come to the office today?” Maria said excitedly.

“What’s the big deal? It doesn’t matter to me if it’s the old CEO or the new CEO.”

“The new CEO is not a middle-aged man like our previous CEO. The new CEO is a hot young man.” Maria said.

“And how do you know that the new CEO is a hot young man?” I asked.

“This guy is our chairman’s son, Eric Luther. I saw Eric’s photo in a magazine. This is the first time he is coming to our company”.

Maria’s face was getting red while saying these words. But there is a reason behind her red face. She is CEO’s assistant. Our old CEO was a middle-aged man. Davidson. Davidson was a gentleman. Behaved well with Maria and other employees. But Maria did not like a middle-aged Ceo. Because the CEO of her dreams was not like this. She always complains to me about she didn’t get a hot young man as CEO. A hot Mary deserves a hot CEO. Anyway, her dream has blossomed now.

“Okay, I have some work to do, and see you.”

After I told Maria, as I went to my desk, that time I saw Samuel speeding toward the elevator.

“Where are you going in such a hurry, sir?”

Maria asked Samuel.

“New CEO…”

Before Samuel finished speaking, we heard someone talking near the elevator. All three of us looked at the side of the elevator. A few people are coming out from inside the elevator. We realized that one of them is our manager. Samuel saw them and went to them without waiting for them to come to us.

“Ruby, that’s our new CEO I told you about, Eric”.

Maria pointed to a young man in the group and said. I was shocked to see the guy who she pointed out. The same young man I saw with Jessica. He is our new CEO.